


And when now from the book I raise my eyes

by stepantrofimovic



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Academia, First Meetings, M/M, Professor!Phil, awkward phil is awkward, no power imbalance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-29
Updated: 2015-05-29
Packaged: 2018-04-01 19:57:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4032658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stepantrofimovic/pseuds/stepantrofimovic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's this guy in the library, and Clint keeps getting distracted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And when now from the book I raise my eyes

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when I sit around daydreaming instead of finishing my thesis. Also, given that I've pretty much described my own work environment, I should probably add that any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental.
> 
> Title is my own spur-of-the-moment translation of a line from Rilke's _Der Lesende_. Which is way too serious for this thing, but whatever.

There’s this guy in the library. Clint is pretty sure he is a professor, and he’s also pretty sure he should know him, given that they work in the same section and they’ve happened to look for the same books a couple of times, but then, again, he’s only been here for a few days and it’s technically Spring Break, so it’s not surprising that they still haven’t met each other.

Thing is, Clint kind of wants to meet this guy soon.

The maybe-professor sits at the common table in the center of the big, sunlit room Clint has elected as his working home for as long as he’s here (because big, faux-medieval windows make for awesome illumination, and Clint _needs_ that to work, thanks). Most of the time, he types on his computer in silence. Clint had almost started wondering whether he was a writer rather than an academic, but no, he stands up every once in a while, goes for a book, takes it to the table, flips through it, puts it back into the shelf.

There’s a thing about putting books back into shelves in a library as big as this one, and the thing is, you’re _not_ supposed to do that. A book being misplaced is a book getting lost, sometimes for years. There are big, block-letter signs on the walls warning people to just leave their books on the tables, for God’s sake (okay, that last part is implied). And yet, this guy just comes and goes and puts books back and he never makes a mistake.

Yes, Clint has checked.

The book thing is just one of this guy’s habits that should really be annoying but, for some reason, aren’t. There’s also the way he looks at anyone who makes a noise like they’ve just offended him personally, whether it’s a cell phone vibrating or people talking or even someone’s stomach rumbling – and yes, Clint has been there, it’s embarrassing enough without a middle-aged professor with thinning hair and impossible blue eyes glaring at you over his glasses –, but he never mutes his own computer completely, so that it pings softly any time he gets an email.

The email thing happens way too often for this guy to be anything but a professor. Yes, Clint is counting.

Then there’s the way he says “bless you” out loud any time someone sneezes, and really, it’s early spring and there’s people with allergies everywhere, you _can’t_ do that in a library without annoying everyone. And yet, Blue-eyed Guy’s voice is so incredibly gorgeous that, once again, Clint can’t find it in himself to be annoyed at him. He kind of wants to fake a sneeze to hear that voice again, and no, that’s definitely not something you’re supposed to think about a guy who could end up being one of your co-workers.

Clint is not a student, technically, he’s a visiting researcher, and this guy’s probably not that much older than him, but hierarchy still dictates that he views him as his superior, if they’re going to work together. And besides, Clint isn’t going to be here for long, just a few months, and there’s no way he’s getting a crush on anyone right now. Nope. Not going there.

Except that he’s heard about an opening in the Department here and he’s already been thinking that he could try his luck at that and find a way to settle down here, so he’s not kidding anyone right now.

This place is nice, he thinks. Good-looking middle-aged professors or not. He could be happy here. Maybe. Better than back home, no doubts.

He gets distracted for a moment because Blue-eyed Guy has stopped typing. Clint waits for him to stand up and get something out of the shelf (which might be an excuse to check out the guy’s ass, which, okay, creepy, but really, it’s not Clint’s fault that the guy wears tailored suits that cling to all the right places _every day_ ), but no, he just looks down at his phone (which is on silent, thankfully) and smiles.

It’s a soft smile which makes the crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes crinkle in the most amazing way, and Clint is suddenly very aware of the way his own stomach is doing some weird dance and how he kind of wishes he was the reason for that smile, rather than some text from an unknown person Clint is trying hard not to hate right now.

Okay, maybe he’s a little bit fucked.

Except that Blue-eyed Guy has just put his phone back down after typing a reply and is now looking up. Looking up at _Clint_ , who’s right in his line of sight and must have the creepiest expression on his face. He knows that, because the guy’s smile fades as soon as they make eye contact, and really, Barton, that’s why you don’t deserve nice things.

Then the guy’s smile comes back full force, eye-crinkles and all, and Clint can’t help the way his own lips curl up in response.

He’s _completely_ fucked.

When the guy turns back to typing quietly after a few seconds of eye-contact, Clint seriously considers the possibility to just gather his things and run away.

Maybe move to Singapore. Yeah, that sounds like a completely reasonable choice right now.

He forces himself to tear his eyes away from the guy and turn back to his own screen. When he looks at it, he finds a new notification there.

 _From: Phillip J. Coulson <pjcoulson@classicsdept.shield.com>_  
_To: Clint Barton <clintonfbarton@waverly.edu>_  
_Subj: <no subject>_  


_Hi there. You look distracted. Fancy a break?_

Clint stares at his screen. Then blinks. Then stares again.

The message’s still there. It sits there for a full minute until another one pops up.

 _From: Phillip J. Coulson <pjcoulson@classicsdept.shield.com>_  
_To: Clint Barton <clintonfbarton@waverly.edu>_  
_Subj: sorry!_

_Ok, so I may have asked around for your name and looked you up online. Sorry if that was creepy. That was creepy, wasn’t it? So I sound less like a stalker, my name’s Phil. I’d be very happy if we could get coffee sometime._

When Clint looks up, the guy – Phil – is staring resolutely at his screen, which does absolutely nothing to hide the fact that he’s blushing. It’s adorable.

 _From: Clint Barton <clintonfbarton@waverly.edu>_  
_To: Phillip J. Coulson <pjcoulson@classicsdept.shield.com>_  
_Subj: Re: sorry!_

_Coffee’s nice. Right about now sounds wonderful, provided you were serious about that break._

Clint’s fingers hover over the keyboard for a few seconds before he adds a last line, but he can already feel the grin blossoming on his face.

He’s _so_ fucked.

_PS just so we’re even with the creepy stalker thing, you blush pretty._

He hits send. Phil’s computer pings softly.

**Author's Note:**

> I think I've just written a meet-cute. Now I just need a coffee shop AU and my life will be complete.
> 
> (self-promotion time: I have [a tumblr](http://stepantrofimovic.tumblr.com/). Come say hi.)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [It's only that I get more intertwined](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4310166) by [stepantrofimovic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stepantrofimovic/pseuds/stepantrofimovic)




End file.
